Rachel Evans, a servant to the vampire, Crusader Samuel Half-Blade, pursues a Defiler to the town of Melfi in southern Italy. Many enemies stand in Rachel's way, but she is being helped by Malena the Gael, a powerful vampiress. Rachel cannot stop until her mission is complete or she dies. Death might not be the worst fate she could face in this, the third book from the Kingdom of Ashes series.